Building A Mystery
by Halfling Rogue
Summary: EVERY time I heard this song I thought 'Duo, Duo, Duo!' I finally managed to get this one down on paper after swimming around in my head for months. The song is by Sarah McLachlan (sp?). I dunno the album.


****

Building a Mystery

You come out at night  
That's when the energy comes  
  
[You see a dark alleyway empty of anything but a few cans. It's lit only by the cold white light of the moon; no streetlights shine in. A fine white mist is creeping along the ground and parts slightly to reveal a dark figure standing in the entrance to the alleyway. A wind blows sharply around the figure, snapping their cape and blowing away the last of the mist.]   
  
_And the dark side's light   
And the vampires roam_  
  
[The camera quickly zooms in on the figure's face, which is hidden by their bangs. The person looks up and smirks, his chestnut braid snapping in the wind along with the cape. The smirk becomes a malicious grin, showing off a pair of sharp fangs. He whirls and leaves the alleyway with a sweep of his cape.]   
  
_You strut your Rasta wear  
And your suicide poem_  
  
[Scene fades out and in again to show Duo piloted Deathscythe in a land battle at night, the bloody battlefield cut out in sharp relief by the light of the full moon. He twirls the Gundam around in a dangerous move that could have destroyed him as easily as it destroyed the three Taurus' he'd targeted, with seemingly no concern for his own safety. The camera moves into the cockpit. His face is an expressionless mask.]  
  
_And a cross from a faith that died  
Before Jesus came_  
  
[A silver cross on a chain swings across the screen, changing the scene behind it to show Duo's solemn face. The camera zooms out far and quickly to show Duo swinging his cross in front of his face.]  
  
_You're building a mystery_  
  
[The cross seems to slow along with time itself then stops moving completely as the camera quickly zooms in and pans around Duo, stopping at his right for a profile shot. The cross is frozen in midair to one side.]  
  
_You live in a church  
Where you sleep with Voodoo dolls_  
  
[Scene fades in to show a younger Duo, sitting on a bench in the Maxwell Church, sticking pins in a toy Leo suit. He jams a pin into a joint as hard as he can, breaking the toy into pieces. The scene fades to show Duo, older again, sitting on the same bench in the now-dilapidated Church.]  
  
_And you won't give up the search  
For the ghosts in the halls_  
  
[A ghostly apparition of Sister Helen appears in front of Duo. He looks up and stands, reaching out for the illusion. As soon as his fingers brush the vision, it vanishes.]  
  
_You wear sandals in the snow and a  
Smile that won't wash away_  
  
[Scene fades out and in to show Duo walking down a winter city street in a black trenchcoat, hands in pockets and his eternal smile aimed at the camera as the open coat flaps in the wind.]  
  
_Can you look out the window  
Without your shadow getting in the way_  
  
[Scene fades out and in to show Duo sitting at and looking out of a window dim with rain clouds at twilight. His reflection is sharp and clear on the glass from the lamp in the room behind him, keeping him from being able to see through the panes.]  
  
_You're so beautiful  
With an edge and a charm_  
  
[Point of view changes to that of someone at the door to the room. The door opens a crack to show Duo at the window. He stands and stretches, a cocky yet sad smile on his face.]  
  
_But so careful  
When I'm in your arms_  
  
[Point of view changes back to inside the room to show Hilde stepping in and quietly closing the door behind her. Duo quickly sees her and moves over to hug her, his arms going around her as gently as if he were afraid she'd break. Hilde buries her face in his shoulder.]  
  
_'Cause you're working  
Building a mystery_  
  
[The camera swings back around to the window Duo had been looking out of, to show his reflection still showing on the glass. The reflection's smile fades, and the image crumbles.]  
  
_Holding on  
And holding it in_  
  
[Duo clutches Hilde a little tighter. As he does so, the ghostly form of him as a child, crying, pushes its way out of his back. Duo frowns, and the ghostly form of himself is snapped back inside. Duo buries his face in Hilde's shoulder.]  
  
_Yeah, you're working  
Building a mystery_  
  
[Hilde and Duo sit on a couch, talking quietly as they sit next to each other. Hilde asks a certain question and Duo's face seems to close up as he looks away, out the window to his right.]  
  
_And choosing so carefully_  
  
[Hilde asks again and Duo abruptly stands up and goes to go look out the window again, standing in front of the glass, arms crossed. Hilde has a hurt but curious expression on her face. She sighs and sits back.]  
  
_*Music bridge*_  
  
[Hilde is seen in a dark red nightgown, flipping back the covers of her bed as a flash of lightning briefly lights the night outside. The scene changes to show Duo already in bed, tossing and turning with a frown on his face. He kicks something onto the floor. It's lands with a crash, but he doesn't wake up. The scene changes back to show Hilde, listening then getting out of bed and padding down the carpeted hallway, pausing at Duo's door.]  
  
_You woke up screaming aloud  
A prayer from your secret god_  
  
[A scream is heard inside the room, nearly muted by a crash of thunder and flash of lightning. Hilde opens the door to see Duo sitting upright in his bed, breathing heavily. Not noticing Hilde, he hugs his knees and closes his eyes, quietly murmuring a prayer.]  
  
_You feed off our fears  
And hold back your tears_  
  
[Hilde walks up next to Duo and puts a hand on his shoulder. When he doesn't respond, she sighs and crawls onto the bed, holding onto him from behind until he finishes and relaxes. She crawls into his lap and he hugs her tightly, not saying anything. Hilde looks up and can see tears gathering in his eyes. But they don't fall.]  
  
_Give us a tantrum  
And a know-it-all grin_  
  
[Scene fades out and in to show Duo fighting in Deathscythe Hell. He whips around a couple of Leos, pounding on them like he's throwing a temper tantrum. His face flashes on someone's vidscreen, wearing his usual grin. It looks a little sicker than usual.]  
  
_Just when we need one  
When the evening's thin_  
  
[Scene fades out and in to show Duo and the other pilots with their female counterparts, sitting in someone's living room. A fire is going in the hearth, and a few lamps are on low. Duo's fooling around and telling jokes, and almost everyone's laughing.]  
  
_Oh, you're a beautiful  
A beautiful fucked up man_  
  
[Scene fades out and in to show Duo sitting in front of the fire, cross-legged, and alone, with all the lamps off. The room is dark except for the fire's glow. Hilde silently comes up from behind him and peeks slightly over his shoulder at his face. She silently sighs and grabs a blanket from one of the couches, sitting down next to him, cross-legged as well, and pulls the blanket over both of their backs, leaning into his side. After a bit, Duo rouses and puts an arm around her, resting his head on hers.]  
  
_You're setting up your  
Razor wire shrine_  
  
[Scene fades in and out to show Duo kneeling at a mound of freshly dug earth, placing a small white cross on the ground. The camera backs out a bit and focuses to show a barbed wire fence running around a makeshift graveyard.]  
  
_'Cause you're working  
Building a mystery_  
  
[Hilde comes up behind Duo and looks at the grave with him as he stands. She asks who's buried there, but Duo turns and leaves. Hilde looks at the grave for a moment longer before running after him.]  
  
_Holding on  
And holding it in_  
  
[The scene changes to see Duo slowly lowering a smoking gun, a sick look on his face. For a moment he looks like he's going to throw up, but the look disappears as his expression goes stone-like and he turns away.]  
  
_Yeah, you're working  
Building a mystery_  
  
[The scene fades out and in to show all the pilots and the girls in a group, talking. Something specific is mentioned, and Duo stiffens. The others get curious looks as they notice it.]  
  
_And choosing so carefully_  
  
[Quatre finally asks him about it, and Duo makes some excuse and walks away, aware of everyone's eyes on his back. Hilde apologizes to the rest of the group and chases after him.]  
  
_You're building a mystery . . . _  
  
[Hilde catches up to Duo and latches onto one of his arms. He looks down in surprise, then smiles genuinely and wraps his arm around her shoulders as they walk down the road.]


End file.
